Richard Knight – Business Development Manager, Net Zero Buildings
www.netzerobuildings.co.uk

Q: The proposed Part Z Building Regulation will focus minds on embodied and whole-life carbon across the built environment – is this a long overdue addition to construction and design thinking?

RK: I wouldn’t say that it’s long overdue: it hasn’t been talked about a great deal until recently and, since then, things have progressed quite quickly. The industry is focused on reducing carbon, but Part Z would be a worthwhile addition since what gets measured, gets done. Viability will still be key – it all comes back to cost and putting a value on the carbon saved. We’re likely to see changes in the way projects are approached. Rather than just selecting one material that is low in embodied carbon, suppliers need to measure building components from source. However, contractors have concluded the use of structural timber will need to expand.

Q: The debate surrounding structural timber and 18m usage is seemingly only a UK-only one. With tall timber flourishing internationally – is the UK approach likely to change any time soon?

RK: Grenfell still plays a big role in the conversation around fire risk and the use of materials, with the tragic loss of life making it an incredibly emotive issue. London and the UK is unique in Europe to have that event – outside of the UK there is a focus on the safe use of tall timber to resolve climate change and in time the UK may find a new balance between low carbon and concerns around combustibility.

Q: Timber is a mainstay of housebuilding in Scotland – what can be done to raise the levels of structural understanding and use of timber in residential projects elsewhere in the UK?

RK: Structural timber performs differently to brick and block and, as we are forced to seriously reduce operationally and embodied carbon, it is likely the balance will shift away from traditional build for dozens of reasons we do not consider today. This is not about finding a ‘better’ way to build homes, rather that new homes need to change to meet new performance standards and timber and offsite construction offers a different solution.